I will be in NJ and my husband will be in upstate NY...about 5 hours away. Like one of the other posters, my husband and I have been through significant separation already due to military training, deployments (Iraq and Afghanistan). I won't say that it's hasn't been difficult, but we've managed to make it work for the past 4 years. As odd as this sounds, I'm kind of glad I'll be farther away as it will allow me to focus more on school work without feeling guilty for not spending time together. During the long distance parts of our relationship (and when he wasn't deployed), we tried to see each other once a month on a weekend, and while that obviously wasn't the ideal situation, it gave us something to look forward to. And I do have to say from experience, that while in a long distance relationship, you learn never to take each other for granted.

All the separation we've endured has really solidified our desire to be together and has allowed us to pursue our individual interests and goals. And that keeps us from being bored or feeling stiffled in the relationship.

Not to be a downer, but a waitlist is probably in your future. My numbers are 3.53/158 (avg score), and I have WE and a good deal of community service ECs, and I was waitlisted. Granted, my degree isn't from an Ivy, but I don't know that would push you over the edge.

- Save all manner of bacon grease. You will be instructed later on how to use it.

- Just because you can drive on snow and ice does not mean we can. Stay home the two days of the year it snows.

These made me laugh out loud! I couldn't understand the whole bacon grease thing at first, and then I had some actual Southern cooking, and it became quite clear to me where it was all going!!!! It snowed 7 inches in TN one winter I was there. The highway was shut down, and I was stuck on it for 5 HOURS. There were highways where people were stuck for upwards of 12 HOURS. I learned to stay home after that!

Well, I've been to Atlanta twice, and I thought it was a gorgeous, cosmopolitan city. I loved it! Having lived in Tennessee for 3 years, Atlanta was NOTHING like the South that I experienced in TN. I don't mean that negatively...I liked TN, but there were subtle differences in culture and attitude that were different from those of people in the North. Not better or worse...just different. YOu have to expect that will be the case when you move to a different area...North, South or anywhere else. Oh, and instead of IHOP, you have Waffle House! I do love Waffle House!

My husband was stationed outside of Atlanta for a while, and in the town where he lived, he did perceive some racism on a few occasions, and there were parts that were "scary," but no more scary than any town past its prime in the North. I agree with other posters that you'll perceive difficult race relations in Northern towns as well. And I can tell you with certaintly that there are "rednecks" and close-minded people right here in Upstate NY.

You need a temporary password to look, but I'm sure the off campus housing office could set you up if you've already enrolled.

If you're looking to get away from the UGs, Allston is not for you. Some parts of Brighton are nice...I lived a few streets off Market St after I graduated, and most of my neighbors were working professionals. (Having a car in Brighton was also a breeze...plenty of on-street parking!) If you have more of a budget, Brookline is fabulous (always wanted to live there!), and Watertown, while a little farther out, is also nice. Probably not as expensive as Brookline, but more than Allston/Brighton.

When I went there for undergrad, we called it BUreaucracy. If you do end up goign there, get used to it.

On a semi-related side note: I have a friend who applied to grad school recently, and BU sent the school a transcript that didn't indicate that she had graduated. (She did.) It held up here app. and she got waitlisted.

So, to my fellow preppers, i say - just chill and go underground. You're not going to change any hearts and minds. And, if the prepping strategy is the right way to go, why would you *want* to change any hearts and minds?

I originally posted my feelings about PLSII in the hopes that the OP would give it a chance and not be scared into inaction by the book. I wanted to share the discovery so to speak, as PLSII seriously helped mitigate my own anxiety about law school...(though given the competitive nature of law school and the forced curve, my own purposes of getting top grades would probably have been better served by keeping my trap shut!) Having accomplish my original goal, I am henceforth going "underground." (*nods to BigTex*)